The Reverend Mary Herbig
Senior Pastor
Rev. Mary grew up in Rockford, IL, and graduated from Winnebago High School (2005). She earned her BS Psychology and BA Religion from Drake University in Des Moines (2009).
In 2013, she received her Master of Divinity degree From Princeton Theological Seminary in New Jersey.
After Princeton, Rev. Mary has had a number of minister positions:
– Intern, Church of the Pacific, Princeville, HI (2013-2014)
– Director of Spiritual Life Ministries, UCC Judd Street (2014-2015)
– Associate Minister, UCC Judd Street, Honolulu (2015-2018)
– Acting Head of Staff, Central Union Church (2022-2023)
– Associate Minister, Central Union Church (2018-Current)
At Central Union Church, Rev. Mary successfully navigated significant transition, as both the Senior Minister and the other Associate during the COVID pandemic. She served as the acting head of staff for 9 months, overseeing 60+ staff members, until the arrival of the new settled Senior Minister. This time challenged her, but also helped her to see her own gifts for leadership, and find her style and voice.
To quote one of Rev. Mary’s references, “Mary’s intellect allows her to grasp details in a myriad of situations for ‘in the moment’ analyses and responses, but is most evident in her preaching and speaking. She has thoughtful, creative, and challenging sermons. Her communication style complements her presentation and displays her joyful sense of humor. Mary understands mainline congregational challenges. She leads various styles of meaningful worship services. She creates opportunities for underrepresented generations in the faith community. She helps congregations jointly respond with the broader religious community to societal issues impacting those without a voice.”
While Mary has lived in Hawai for 12 years, she is ready to get her snow gear out of storage! She is excited to be nearer to her family and her Chicago Cubs and Bears. When she’s not at church, you can expect to find Mary hiking,paddleboarding, trying new restaurants, or exploring the city.
